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Following the non-appearance of Harare side Dynamos at the giant National Sports Stadium where they were due to play rivals Highlanders in a semi-final replay on Wednesday, speculation was rife that the banking institution, the sole corporate body in the unbranded Premier Soccer League, would now pull out, even before the final.
But Desmond Ali, the BancABC country head of marketing, said yesterday that they remain football people and will follow the guidance of the PSL and Zifa.
“We will see this cup through, that is given. As sponsors we do not want to be involved in the politics of football and right now we are waiting to be guided by the football stakeholders. Personally I feel this issue should be referred back to Zifa as the body that ordered a replay,” said Ali.
“It is clear, however, that these problems have come about because of two teams. So we need to think carefully going forward.
“We have to be fair to the other teams because they have done nothing wrong. We will support the PSL. We want to invest in soccer and to try to entice other corporate sponsors to get involved in our local league. It’s part of our social responsibility,” he said.
He said there was a need for all the stakeholders to try and create a football atmosphere in this whole thing so that there is a logical conclusion to it.
“As sponsors, we would have loved the final to be at Barbourfields but let us leave that to the PSL management,” said Ali.
CAPS United have been waiting for more than a month now to play in the final and the pulling out of BancABC would deny whoever was going to lift the cup an opportunity to represent Zimbabwe in the CAF Confederation Cup next year.
Online Reporter